Detail from Intel’s last diversity report, conducted in 2013.Photograph: Intel

Krzanich impressed that it was not enough to merely talk about diversity without actively creating change.

The $300m will be used to fund engineering scholarships and to support majority black colleges and higher education institutions, he said.

In addition, the tech sector had to move to make the working environment attractive to women, to prevent women entering the industry and then leaving due to an overly masculine culture.

To this end, Krzanich said Intel would also be aiming to introduce more women to the games industry, after the so-called Gamergate furore, which saw harassment campaigns levelled against female games developers, gamers, and commentators.

Intel became wrapped up in Gamergate when the company, lobbied by male internet users, withdrew advertising from the Gamasutra website which had published an essay about the movement by a feminist critic.

As well as his comments on improving diversity, Krzanich also previewed new upcoming products at the trade show, most relating to the “Internet of Things”: the term used to describe smart technology which permeated everyday life, including new sensor technology, RealSense.

Intel also debuted a robot with the face of a human and cognisant drones that could navigate obstacle courses without intervention.

A Guardian survey on women working in the tech sector, published in November, reported that 73% of both men and women thought it was sexist, and 52% were aware of a woman being paid less than a man for the same job.